The government, in collaboration with the Ramciel Cooperative Society and B`smart Technology, announced Thursday receiving 45 trucks of food items to be sold at subsidized prices.
Speaking during the announcement in Juba, National Trade and Industry Minister Joseph Moum Majak said the food items would be sold at designated places.
“On behalf of Ramciel Cooperative Society, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Finance and Planning and other stakeholders, I would like to take this opportunity to inform the general public that the government of South Sudan imported essential food items to be sold to the general public,” Majak said.
“As we speak today, we have received maize flour, wheat flour, rice and sugar,” he added.
The Trade Minister stressed that the government would continue with the initiative for some time.
“The idea of bringing these food items at subsided prices is to stabilize the market and have public access to essential items and at the same time close the hunger gap.
“There are some challenges centered around the lack of enough hard currency and road access, but we are working to manage before the floods kick in,” he said.
The Minister disclosed that they were expecting 30 more trucks of the food items from Tanzania.
He, however, did not explain the criteria for the distribution and the amount of money put into the project.
The Acting Manager for B`Smart Technology, Mabior Anyang Ajang, said they wanted to supply the food items to stabilize the market. “We supply all the items in order to stabilize the market,” he said.